Habitat
Nests on rocky coastlines; forages in near-shore waters.Back to top
Food
Fish, crustaceans, and marine invertebrates.Back to top
Nesting
Nest Placement
Nest Description
Shallow scrape in sand, soil, or gravel. Placed in cavity, crevice, or burrow, usually in cliff or boulder fields.
Nesting Facts
| Clutch Size: | 1-2 eggs |
| Egg Description: | Pale cream, may be tinged greenish or bluish, with large and small dark blotches, often concentrated in ring around large end. |
| Condition at Hatching: | Covered with black down and can move about on land. |
Behavior
Dives under water to capture prey, using its wings to swim.Back to top
Conservation
There is little information on population trends of Pigeon Guillemot, but numbers appear stable. The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan estimates a continental population of less than 69,000 breeding birds, rates the species a 13 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, and lists it as a Species of Moderate Concern. This species is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. Pigeon Guillemot numbers declined due to oil pollution and disturbance from humans and livestock in early 1900s, and probably by food shortages during warm-water years. Back to top
Credits
Ewins, Peter J. (1993). Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Kushlan, J. A., M. J. Steinkamp, K. C. Parsons, J. Capp, M. A. Cruz, M. Coulter, I. Davidson, L. Dickson, N. Edelson, R. Elliott, R. M. Erwin, S. Hatch, S. Kress, R. Milko, S. Miller, K. Mills, R. Paul, R. Phillips, J. E. Saliva, W. Sydeman, J. Trapp, J. Wheeler and K. Wohl (2002). Waterbird conservation for the Americas: The North American waterbird conservation plan, version 1. Washington, DC, USA.
Lutmerding, J. A. and A. S. Love. (2019). Longevity records of North American birds. Version 1019 Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2019.
North American Bird Conservation Initiative. (2014). The State of the Birds 2014 Report. US Department of Interior, Washington, DC, USA.
Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA.
